Hahahaha laughing hysterically like a girl

I just cant believe my luck this weekend it was so bizarre that it bordered on the insane!!

All this AND I was getting paid to surf?? I mean what is up with that???

I dropped my P2P group off in Hamilton on Friday and rather than drive back to Auckland (116 kms) "work" decided to put me up in a Hotel for the weekend (cue Tool Time's Tim Allen Aiiiiiiiii?)

My mate John (bloody legend) left his Ute at the hotel for me to use and use it I will the Friday surf report has things shaping up for a EPIC weekend of waves.

0600 the next morning still in a bit of a daze and not quite believing the situation Im in...... I set off into the darkness, doing my very best to see thru the iced up window and navigating along Highway 23 .....did I mention I'm getting PAID?

RAGLAN here I come...

My pulse was racing as I pulled up to the lookout of Manu Bay (the photo is all blurry cause my hands were shaking so much and it had nothing to do with the freezing temperature)

I parked up Johns ute and the sun just started to rise and I looked at my options.

There was a SOLID 4-5ft SW swell (with the odd 6ft set) with a very light offshore,a few of the local crew were already out smashing the crap out of the long left so I decided to take on "Bone yards" and try and avoid the "local-ism"

Althought the morning was crystal clear and beautiful the cold was like a whip "crack" I thought to myself that I cant wait to get out of this cold and into the warm water (13.3c)

The paddle out over the rocks and thru the close out sets was right up there with the "now why didn't I go thru Manu Bay "

Once I got out it was amazing and with only 6 others there were more than enough to go around with a light offshore grooming the constant barrage of waves wrapping around the point.

The crew down there are SO spoilt with the quality of waves no wonder Raglan consistently turns out talented surfers.

As the tide filled in Bone yards lived up to its reputation as being a difficult wave both to get on and to find a "safe" paddle out,the long paddle thru Manu Bay to the boat ramp (and much safer option) never entered my head I was so cold after 2 and a half hours that I just blindly followed a guy in hoping for the best.

Once again the second guessing came into play as a wave picked me up and rocketed me thru the shallows over the rocks to......some more rocks, when I stood up another wave came in a swept me over to land squarely on me rump (ARSE) just to make sure I understood and to show a bit of respect.

I popped around to Greg's place for a cuppa tea and we watched the action from his lounge

(This is the view from his lounge window).

Awesome house that hes been building/living in for the last 20 something years with a million dollar view and we just had to have a wee laugh at the 2 unfortunate souls that came unstuck on the rocks too. :)

Ka mau te wehi!!!

Mount 2

We woke this morning to a absolutely beautiful day and The Mount was just looking picture perfect from our accommodation of the Twin Towers so while eating our way thru "another" big breakfast a plan was made to climb to the top.


Mana chan was all keen but and after last months attempt (she only made it to the first gate) I wasn't too sure but she said that she wants to climb up with Ojiicahn and Obaachan...and that was that.


Surprisingly Mana stormed passed the first gate and she seemed quite happy to admit that "Last time I only made it to here....." and as we approached the first fork in the track she read the sign,pointed in the direction we should go and just well......cracked the whip.

We got to the top and I rung K to let her know we made it and to stand out by the surf club so we can see her.

I don't know what was funnier Keiko standing waving frantically or Mana yelling at the top of her lungs "Can you see me I have a pink shirt on......."

No task is without its rewards and a Gelato/Yogurt/Sorbet ice cream seemed just the thing to top it all off

Mana paid the price for her cracking pace up and on the way down was heard to moan that she was tired and as usual I played her game (I love it) and gave her a piggy back (some) of the way down.

We all made it down in one piece and were all VERY happy with our effort of conquering "The Mount"

Mount

With Mum and Dad over it would just be wrong not to go on a little trip and Ive been looking forward to this for ages (I think I booked the accommodation in March) and even tho space was at a premium in my car,with Surfboard tied on the roof and all family members accounted for we were off to the Mount.

First stop Karangahake just to soak in the....well the awesome weather.

The local wildlife (a failtail) decided to flutter and twitter about and follow us as we stirred up small insects while we walked on the banks of the stream.

Then at Wahi to have a look at the "Big hole"

Although the sun was setting it and it was getting abit on the chilly side we wrapped up and walked to Motoriki island (during low tide you can walk to it) so we could catch the last rays and watch the sunset.

That's when the fun began.....

Dinner tonight was at "The Mount Bistro" which is taking part in the "Wild Food Challenge" so we were tempted with a variety of local (and very wild) dishes.

Keiko had the Steak and Kora Mum and Dad had the Scallops,Mana of course had the Fish and Chips and I had the "Wild Winter Thyme-Beer & a Hot bird" which was Seared Ostrich fillety rubbed with flax seed and chestnut dukkah on warm winter salad of lee,fennel,phoenix mushrooms,pink fir potatoes and chestnuts with a hearty ostrich phoneix and chestnut pie.....matched with the smooth warmth of Monteiths Winter Ale,Doppelbock.

Hmmmmmm all I saw was Pie & Beer :)

We finished off with the "World Famous" (in New Zealand) Desert selection ......ummmmm yum!

Nga Tama Toa

Gees what felt like weeks I'm finally getting to the end of "Nga Tama Toa-The price of Citizenship".
Absolutely fantastic,felt like with each page I was being drawn into the very lives these young men (boys) and families were living from the initial call up,the overseas deployment the fighting and to the very emotional return home.
The boys from "The Coast" really paid the ultimate sacrifice.....

The hardship and the daily struggle the boys faced was amazing to say the least

I spose Ive also got a better understanding of what went on from a military/documentary point of view.

Cotton hardly ever spoke of what happened over there to me and even when he did it was VERY vague.

I wanted to press it but was always to scared (and respectful) to ask,when I did ask a Uncle or Aunt ld always get the "Waiho mate wa" (give it time)

The back section is entitled Tairawhiti Men of the 28 (Maori) Battalion and has photos (again of the young men) who fought during 1939-1945 that time and as I and then the turned to page 393 I saw my Grandfather.

Werohia ki waho ra te urauranga o te ra Te-Poho-o Hawaiki,ka tuhakehakea te kowiwini ka tuhakehakea te kowawana....."
(Speed your canoe to the East directly into the flames of the rising sun to the homeland of Hawaiki there you will stand face to face with the ancestors,they of the multitudes of dread and the hordes of the fierce)